By Ifigenia Theodoridou
An exercise to address potential threats at Larnaca airport was carried out on Saturday, the transport ministry said.
The exercise was conducted due to increased drone activity recorded around the airport, which poses a heightened risk to aircraft safety.
The scenario included the detection, identification and neutralisation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detected by the airport’s systems in a restricted area near the runway.
The UAV was assessed as a threat to the safety of aircraft around and within the airport, triggering an alarm for airport services. Their coordinated mobilisation led to the detection and neutralisation of the UAV while simultaneous efforts on the ground began to locate and apprehend its operator.
The services participating in the exercise were the air traffic control tower, national guard, Cyprus police, civil aviation services, Hermes Airports Ltd, search and rescue coordination centre, airport fire station, ground handling agencies.
Areas and drone flight rules in Cyprus are determined by legislation, which is available on the dedicated website www.drones.gov.cy. The areas around Larnaca and Paphos international airports are classified as restricted flight zones, and any violation of these areas is considered a criminal offence.
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